Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Okay, all you SRK lovers…relax! Take a deep breath and go on with the article. This past weekend, the hype was off the hook. Everyone was electrified to see what SRK has in the store. Since DON was a super hit; DON 2 had higher expectations. I’ve heard mixed reactions from the public. Some gave it a 4 star and some barely a star.

The beginning of the movie surely showed SRK as the macho-man. The man has definitely worked on his body; built some muscles and looks pretty darn handsome. As the movie progressed, it was hard to keep yourself intact. Almost all the scenes seemed predictable. The real suspense was completely missing. I’m not sure if the readers agree to this or not but didn’t it feel like the movie only revolved around SRK? There were such great actors but all wasted. Boman Irani – no one can beat his acting skills in this day n age. He steals the show every time. However, he was barely given any dialogues or masala. Priyanka Chopra – I clearly remember how much impact she left in the first movie. DON 2 completely forgot they had PC as the lead heroine. She was given the full stage in the last song at the end of the movie when the audience was leaving the premises. Om Puri was the phone guy throughout the movie. Kunal Kapoor gave an exceptionally well performance. I believe the only reason that happened is because he’ll have a big role in DON 3. Yeah…you heard that right! There will be another DON. Gosh…!

Frankly speaking, I was looking forward to Lara Dutta in this movie. From the trailers, I was so agitated to see her performance. She’s a superlative actress! However, she was signed to perform one song wearing skimpy clothes and added a bit of glamour. Disappointed by Farhan Akhtar. Since, he’s one of most favored actor and director.

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Now, I look forward to Agneepath. Hrithik – we are so counting on you…!

Monday, December 19, 2011

While surfing through the net, I came across a rape story from Afghanistan. It seems like it has become a norm to read such stories on the news. Instead of presuming a downfall, one can only find more and more of such horrendous acts all across the globe. The reason why I’m composing an article on this particular story is because I’m disgusted by our so-called-society and their so-called-laws. A girl named Mumtaz was raped by her cousin’s husband four years ago. Firstly, the girl got raped and was announced life-long sentence to prison. For a common man it’s hard to understand this concept. She’s the victim not the rapist, why is she getting sentenced to prison? Secondly, to grant her, her life back; the court asked her to marry the rapist/legitimize her daughter or remain locked up in prison for life with her daughter. Since when did the victims started serving jail time?

According to the society law, Mumtaz has to marry her rapist only because the rapist can give her a dignified life. Well, according to me, this is clearly male chauvinism. It can’t be considered an impartial and unprejudiced society to all beings. This is just a male dominated society. Is that why the authorities let the rapist go scot-free? Because the rapist is a male… Why can’t a girl make her own living without the support of a male? Why do we have such biased people living in this world? It’s so depressing to see how girls are dejected by our society in so many countries. It may not be highly visible to you and me living in this century but the truth is that it still exists. This can still be considered number one problem in this world. We can blurt out as much as we want about ‘women power’ and how women’s are ruling the world; becoming CEO’s; beating the male race in education system and so on… However, take a trip to a rural village and you’ll know who’s playing the cards. 4 out of 10 girls are getting the best education; working in top-notch companies; hold either an upper hand or equality in a marriage. BUT there are still 6% of girls who can’t achieve any of this. They have problems. Problems which deal with society. Society which compels them to follow absurd and meaningless rules. Rules which are mostly in favor of men. And men rule the world. Period.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Dirty Picture is wholly dedicated to Vidya Balan. She is sheer excellence in the industry. I was appalled to see her bold role in ‘The Dirty Picture’. Only she could’ve done justice to the role of Silk Smitha. No other actress can take such colossal step in their career of distorting their hour glass figure for a role like Silk. Vidya must have received countless accolades by almost every viewer and all types of celebrities. From the beginning to the end, there wasn’t a single scene boring or a drag. Her every move, every dialogue, every act, every thumka, deserves a huge applaud. It’s so hard to digest the fact that Vidya gained all that weight just for this movie. Not only did she gain the extra baggage, she also flaunted the tires, the love handles, her bulky arms and huge legs without any hesitation. The erotic and vulgar scenes were performed by such ease and comfort – again this calls for applause!

This movie made me Google Silk Smitha. She was a reigning queen of South movies at her time. She sure had to deal with a lot of criticism because of her amatory and kinky-ness in every role. Silk was considered the masala entertainment in a movie; which, in return made the box office go bling-bling. Even after Silk’s demise, her role turned out to be $gold$ for one lady! Ekta Kapoor did it once again. She knows exactly how to give a blockbuster hit. For some reason, she always puts all the right elements together and makes a big masala picture.

It’s so hard to imagine Vidya Balan [who is considered not erotic at all] in a sexy role. I still wonder how and what made Ekta approach Vidya for Silk’s portrayal. Even after this role, Vidya can never be considered ‘vulgar’. She’s too good to be trademarked as ‘cheap’ or ‘gross’. While watching the movie, it daunted me how much weight she’ll need to shed after this movie? Nerve-wrecking! Post this role, Vidya is definitely top class actress. All the other actresses must take a bow in front of her including Mrs. Rai B, Ms. Chopra, and Ms. Kapoor!

You need entertainment, entertainment, entertainment in a movie…and Vidya is the ‘entertainment’ in Dirty Picture!!!

Monday, November 28, 2011

So the hoopla can increase by the second now. Baby B has arrived with full Dhamaka. Gosh, I doubt anyone’s baby got this much coverage from the media. Seems like this baby will get pampered by the entire India and Indians living abroad. Seriously…no kidding!

Let’s recap a bit of when this baby was still in a womb. Every site I visited had something or the other about Aishwariya and her pregnancy. Firstly readers were uncertain if Ash was preggers or not? Later on she got entangled in the huge controversy of Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine and how she kept the pregnancy news under wraps before signing. Then the nautanki arrived if she has a bump or not? Another drama was the wardrobe she chose to present herself in front of media. Hiding that bump and all. And it went on and on… Aish was all over the world; it was hard to neglect her in any shape or form. The Bahurani delivered baby girl…my Gosh, what a news! Messages started pouring in from every corner of the world. Thereafter every move of the Bachchan clan became separate news. More like top news! I follow Sr. B on Twitter and I can’t stress enough on the type of news he shared with the world. To me, they are just hypocrites. Earlier they tried to portray how ‘sant’ they are in hiding the bump and presenting Aish as the only ‘sati-savitri’ alive and later without hesitation announced to the world every nitty gritty detail about Aish’s pregnancy. That too by Sr. B not her husband but her father-in-law. Ahh…what a cheap act? Bachchan’s FAM bam is a bizarre world!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

For me, November 21st is the bestest day of the year – believe it or not! I adore the month of November every year.

My birthday kick started sharp at midnight. The surprise planned by my hubby and all the cousins was truly remarkable. I should’ve been able to figure this but no, my brain is not that sharp. I’m the last person on Earth who will never be able to spoil a surprise. I entered my house at midnight and was taken aback with the candles, balloons, cake, lights off. For a second it daunted me if I opened my own house or someone else’s? The guys screamed at the top of their lungs and gave a full shock to me. Afterwards, the normal ritual began. Birthday song; blowing the candle; wishing; and cake cutting. Black Forest never goes wrong…YUM! I must confess that I probably gained a few extra pounds because of this delicious monster.

While this entire episode was taking place, I kept thinking about the huge thing sitting in my living room covered with a big sheet. Finally, everyone asked me to proceed towards the surprise gift. The minute I uncovered the gift, I went into a shock mode and turned around to look at my hubby. I could not believe my own eyes. It was a Telescope. A gift I never expected to buy until I had some heft moolah in my pocket. I was and still am completely impressed with the gift.

Next morning, as always phone calls started pouring in and I had to give everyone at least twenty some minutes. My conversation can never be of couple minutes! It was very hard struggling between work and all the wishes but I was able to manage it. The evening started off with a fantastic dinner at Sakura Restaurant. I couldn’t have picked any other place. The chef’s at that restaurant sure know how to keep everyone’s attention intact. Totally worth it! A special shout to my bro who prepared the most incredible speech. I received an unexpected gift from him.

The last but not the least plan was bowling. We girls rule everywhere, every time and so we won!!!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

This happened to be my 100th article. Believe it or not! It bewilders me how fast life is running. I can reminiscence over my past through my articles.

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Sushil Kumar – if you watch Kaun Banega Crorepati 5, you very well know whom I’m talking about. The simple, down-to-Earth man won 5 crore rupees on KBC5. He’s the first to win that sum in this show. A man whose income merely satisfied the necessities of a family hopes for a secured future. KBC regenerated his life. The way Sushil Kumar kept himself totally intact throughout the game was marvelous. He spoke sensibly and after answering every question turned around to pay respect to his elders. I also fancied the way he spoke to AB Sr.; unlike some other contestants who would just ramble on weird and non sense stuff. Sushil Kumar showed such eagerness to continue studying and writing a book. I was appalled by his nature. I recall when I graduated from college; I decided not to pick up another book for a long time. The guy seemed so focused in life. The old days are long gone for him. The new life is filled with contentment and hope. Let’s all wish him good luck in his new life!!!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Well, we all knew it wasn’t going to last long. Ms/Mrs., [I really don’t know how to address her;] Kim Kardashian wanted a fairytale wedding and all the attention in the world. She never said she wanted to maintain a relationship or a marriage. The very minute the news came out, Twitter started pouring in tweets about Kardashian divorce and infact she was all over the trend column! One of them was #ThingslongerthanKimsmarriage. It certainly made everyone roll off the floor laughing. One can contribute an entire day in reading all the tweets made on this ‘trend’.

She holds a billion dollar empire in her pocket. She knows every tactic to stay on top and in public attention. Now that she’s on the highest peak of her career; she’s exploring the international markets as well. Recently I heard [not sure if it was a rumor] how she wants to be an ‘item girl’ in a Bollywood film. She also traveled to Dubai to introduce her product line. She has more followers on Twitter than Barack Obama. She is always on channel E! She has her wedding marathon constantly running on E! There’s no way you can avoid her on magazines cover while shopping. She annoys me to the core while watching Bigg Boss or KBC on internet with her irritating California advertisement. She not only made herself a product but her entire family gets footage. The whole family loves to be part of mega controversies. Super duper, hi-fi people!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

In the past couple of days I saw Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Sahib Biwi aur Gangster. The difference between the two films is massive! MBKD comes under the biggest ever production house with Shiela in it along with Imran Khan [highly pampered and promoted by his own Mamu]. Whereas SBAG falls under a very small banner. As you can see, I don’t even know the name of the production house. The cast of the movie is also famous only for small budget films unlike Shiela and Pappu. The storyline of MBKD seems to be one of the standard scripts. On the other SBAG had a strong storyline and kept its viewers intact till the end. Not at all predictable.

Mahie Gill, Jimmy Shergill, and Randeep Hooda; I’m flabbergasted at their acting skills. All three brandished a very controlling and dynamic presence on the screen. Even the extra characters got the opportunity to flaunt their acting skills to the highest degree. Mahie gave the goose bumps with her maniac-ness. She holds no chance in front of many of our A-list actresses but she has proved her strong hold in the industry with her competent acting skills. If Shiela can win million hearts with her patli kamaria; Mahie can enchant the public with her dialogue delivery. Pappu started his career under the production of Aamir Khan and the movie was a super hit for obvious reasons. However, not every struggler in B’town is born with a golden spoon. For example: Jimmy Shergill; he climbed the ladder with enormous hurdles but he sure has a firm foot in the industry. SBAG proved his potential and excellent acting skills. The same goes for Randeep Hooda; his suave look and passion for ‘Biwi’ was par excellence. Personal opinion: Him and Sush sure made a steamy couple! *wink wink*

Back to MBKD; well except for the songs the movie didn’t do justice at all. These days Katrina Kaif has only become a product which can be sold in songs. She may not be able to act but she sure can make the country dance on her tunes. Main do dhaari talwaar yaar…

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I feel ‘Bol-less’ after watching this movie. I wanted to dedicate one of my article’s to this movie. Since the movie is directed by a Pakistani; comprehending the dialect was a challenge. Several times, I had to rewind some scenes and other times I just gave up. Nevertheless, I was able to fathom the purpose of this direction. For those who haven’t watched it yet, I won’t give away the entire movie. Giving birth to a girl is considered the biggest disappointment in many countries. Even today, I personally know few families who only and only believe in raising a boy instead of a girl. In an era where technology has advanced to its highest level and girls have proved them-selves to be no less than a man… WHY girls are considered a problem to a family? Can you name me one such thing which a man can do and a girl can’t? I bet you can’t come up with even a single answer.

Why is a woman forced to deliver babies one after another and asked to stop after a boy? It seems like it has become a culture to have a boy in the family, whatsoever. Why do we acknowledge such culture? Is it because we live in a male dominated society? I assume that the male dominated society is misconstrued about the woman power. Woman power does not mean that women’s want to reign over the world and defeat the men. It simply means that, “she can attain a top class education; she can financially support a family; she can protect herself; she can run a family; she can win the election; she can own a business; she can go to space; she can learn karate; she can hike to Mt. Everest; and she can ‘rebel’, if required!” So, why do we have gender discrimination in this world?

Another issue which gets me infuriated is the practice of polygamy in this world. Again, this makes the male society more dominating. From where do men get this authority to marry more than one woman? Is it just because they are male and hold some sort of natural power to control the world? Women would never think of practicing such notorious and heinous act. Then why do men? And why is it even allowed? Is to prove the fact that men are superior in this world…!? Such wrongdoings constitute to a loathsome reaction.

I’m facing a tough time concluding this article. I think, I should leave it as is because frankly speaking no one can cease this problem. Yes, I consider this a superior problem!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Could you please explain to me why TOI has altered into filthy garbage? Every other news seems to be chosen from derogatory section. It’s like TOI cannot allure readers without vulgar images of C grade actresses from B’town and partly nude girls showing off their junk from the H’town. Their graph has gone down drastically. I clearly remember when I used to peek into this site everyday and never came across such openness to vulgarity. They have everything on their page. From sex scandals to controversies to playboy magazine’s to topless diva’s. And it’s not like it’s hidden on another page; it’s right there, on the main page itself. Like ‘in your face’! Even their blog section is polluted. Polluted by all kinds of random people posting random views on random topics. Writers who actually made sense are nowhere to be seen. A few days ago, I literally went into a shock when I read ‘Rakhi Sawant’s Blog’. I mean, seriously? She can barely talk sense in public, how can she write properly? I’m appalled by TOI. According to TOI, “every being from Bollywood industry is considered a writer.” Is this the only technique left for making profit? Anyhow, pointless to rattle on about this new engine; instead one should find something appropriate and intelligible!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Okay guys… if you have even the slightest interest in our back yard aka Space, you do not want to miss this article. So, yesterday night after a very rigorous workout at the gym followed by a delicious meal; my partner and I watched a breath-taking documentary about Space. Here it comes…

7th One of Saturn’s Moon named ‘Enceladus’
Space craft Cassini recently flew by Saturn and discovered a whole lot about the planet and Enceladus. This moon is loaded with water ice and constantly generates humungous geysers from its surface.

6th Saturn’s Rings
Some say this is the most beautiful planet in our Solar System. Don’t be fooled by its pretty and bewitching rings. The closer you go, the more you know about the deadly rings. The debris revolving around Saturn is 35 trillion trillion water, ice and rock. Infact, the Space craft Cassini discovered few moons embedded in the rings itself. There are altogether 62 known Moons of Saturn and more are still getting discovered… Relax, Saturn! Thank God, we have only one Moon.

5th Jupiter’s Red Spot
I’m guessing everyone reading this article is quite familiar with ‘The Great Red Spot’ on Jupiter. It’s been there ever since we started peeking at our back yard. Did you now the red spot is three times the size of Earth? The ancient storm has been in action for past countless centuries. The odd thing about the storm is that it revolves counter clockwise which is not the case on our Earth. Believe it or not, this is my most favorite Planet in our Planet belt. The formations on Jupiter are mesmerizing. Layers of storms, with different colors, moving against each other…it’s all a mystery!

4th Asteroid Belt
The asteroid belt is also known as the cosmic junk yard. All the debris and junk left from the making of our Solar System. After the big bang, most of the rocks found their home by lagging on to their Planets but tons is still left flying around in the asteroid belt. I would like to call it ‘the homeless rocks’. They might be homeless but they are considered the biggest threat to our Planet. Remember the time when an enormously colossal asteroid hit Earth and wiped out all the Dinosaurs? Could happen again…don’t you think?

3rd Olympus Mons
For those of you who are clueless about this… It’s the largest Volcano situated on the north pole of Mars. It is the biggest ever found in our Solar System. One can view the entire Martian land from the highest peak. It is 100 times larger than the Earth’s Volcano. Hiking on this mountain with a view of Stars all over you and the Space will be magnificent. Anyone up for it?

2nd Sun
We cannot make our ‘Suraj Devta’ mad by leaving him behind. It’s the most chaotic place in our Solar System. Always boiling and bubbling holding 10,000 tons of plasma embedded in it. Sun likes to throw blobs of ionized particles in the space which generates storms on Earth. It’s also very hazardous for the astronauts working on the Space Station. However, we can’t complain because without its existence we won’t exist!

1st Planet Earth
What else did you expect? Of course, it had to our home Planet any day, any time. Where else can you find life? We are situated in the perfect position where humans can sustain life. Vast oceans, colossal mountains, gravity, trees, fresh air, summer, winter, spring, fall, food, entertainment, electricity, diverse cultures, and the list can go on and on… You name it, we got it!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Ever wondered what will actually happen in 2012? The end of the world, the destruction, the doomsday, judgment day… are these just hype’s created by the people and media or is it really true? I can’t recall how and what triggered me to watch documentaries on Mayan culture and tsunami videos this past weekend? Doesn’t it strike you that too many natural calamities are going on around the globe? I doubt any one of us have heard about Earthquakes back to back so frequently. In the past month, we encountered Earthquake every week. Twice in some weeks… and don’t forget the catastrophic Tsunami which shook the entire Japan. Infact, the entire island was shifted from its current place.

Any of you recall what happened after New Year’s? Nearly 3,000 dead birds fell from the sky in Arkansas. Not so much of a (Happy) New Year. Scorching sunshine to torrential rain to disastrous hurricanes. This makes me wonder if the end is near. Coming back to Mayan culture – according to Mayans, 21st December 2012 is the day when Earth will complete its wobble around its axis. It takes 26,000 years to complete one wobble. So, every 26,000 years some sort of destruction transpires. As far as 2012 is concerned, the Mayans only predicted that Earth will be experiencing Earthquakes and possible volcanic activity. Many other predictions were made by the people in the last decade.

I strongly believe some catastrophe will occur next year. One can see the signs this year already. Mother Nature is bashing us up in every way possible. Don’t forget the prediction of a colossal Earthquake on California. I vaguely remember scientist predictions post Japan quake. The videos I watched of Japan’s Tsunami in the weekend were extremely disturbing. It’s hard to imagine yourself in that situation. While watching the Youtube, I heard the news of an Earthquake in Sikkhim, India. Many people died and several others lost their home in a devastating 6.8 Earthquake. My prayers go out to all the people who lost their lives in this disastrous quake. I fear how much more Mother Nature has stored in her Pandora box?

Earth will perish one day. It’s just a matter of time… Are you scared?

Monday, September 12, 2011

So, where should I begin? Another attack on India? Correct me if I’m wrong, don’t you think we are beginning to reach our tolerance level? Yup, we are! The count of the dead in Delhi Blasts is 12 and 90 injured. Not sure if this is accurate, as we all are familiar with our media. May the 12 souls rest in peace. I can’t even begin to imagine how those 90 injured will cope with this pain and trauma? Can you imagine them living a peaceful life? I think living a disable life is worse than dying. That’s just my perception, yours can differ.

While conversing with my mom this morning, I found out about one of the deceased. Unfortunately, this man had forgotten his overcoat at home which is considered the uniform to work in High Court and decided to stand in the visitor queue. How innocent was he? The so-called-political-thekedaar will continue to give their somber sounding statements. Ask the country to stay calm and remain united. Those responsible for the security and safety of our nation will continue to clutch tightly to their kursi’s. This isn’t America, Dost! Our government cares less about its public. They don’t have the guts to barge into someone’s country, shoot the bloody culprit or the mass murderer (if I may) and abduct the body…!

What does the average Joe do in such a desperate situation? The mental torture caused by our neta’s is worse than the terrorist destruction. I really wonder when these high profile people will understand the pain a mango man goes through in such tragedy. In the past 5 years not a single politician was directly affected by any of the terrorist attacks in our country. God forbid but what if the next attack is right on the footsteps of our neta’s? Our Manmohan Ji seems to be undisturbed by terrorist attacks or any kind of change in the country. As if he’s a puppet. Oh wait…did I say too much?

Along with America, there are many other countries which have declared zero tolerance to terrorism. Why are we lagging behind? We, as a country will not get immune to any terror attacks. You dare not think that Indians are tolerable people. Public anger is as lethal, as dangerous as a roadside bomb. Do not make the mistake of triggering it. It will come out to be more destructive than a suitcase bomb left abandoned.

The long weekend kicked off astonishingly with a long drive to Pocono Mountains. The two of us settled on Cove Haven Resorts. Started driving at the wee hours of the morning. The vaadiyan throughout the trip were breathtaking. Passed by corn fields, mountains, and many clouds. Crossed several bridges positioned in the middle of the mountains. It was staggering to see the mountains cut out from the middle to create a colossal highway. Do you ever imagine how many trees are in United States of A? Each time my beau and I took a road trip, it daunts us how much wood this country holds.

The Sun decided to play hide ‘n’ seek that morning. In less than five hours, we arrived at the Cove Haven Resort. Oh my…seemed like a paradise on Earth. Okay, I’m exaggerating but that’s how they like to describe. The resort is equipped with any and everything a couple would like to do. Yup, it’s only a couples resort. NO kids allowed. The place has its own restaurant and a theatre built at their property. One can call it a five start restaurant. The food was delectable and the service was top notch. Outside resort, it’s a dead location and that’s why the resort arranges their own activities. From stand up comedians to live bands to DJ…it’s all there!

The resort is established right next to the Lake Wallenpaupack. Believe it or not, but it’s a man-made lake. I was stupefied at this fact. It was a humongous lake spread over 30 some miles and 60 feet deep. Apparently, it’s one of the sources to generate electricity in that area. Spotted a mansion right next to the lake. Wondered how much it was worth? The boat ride was enjoyable around the lake. Since the lake was a part of the resort, all the activities linked with the lake were free and unlimited! I doubt I can count the number of games I played. It was delight to observe all the couples competing with each other. Everyone seemed so benevolent and cordial amongst other couples. Love was literally in the air.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Okay…so where do I begin? On 08/23/2011 after having a delectable lunch, I was all prepared to dial in on my conference call. Ten minutes into the call, I sensed trembling for 3-5 seconds. It’s usual to hear walking, running from the neighbor’s house. However, this time the trembling daunted me for a few seconds. Because of my meeting, I had to abandon my thoughts. Continued on with my call and before I knew it, the entire house started trembling. My conference call was unmuted at the moment. Team heard vibration on the other end. And I went into a frozen mode. My better half kept screaming from downstairs but my mind could not analyze that it’s not a ‘bhoot’ in the house. It’s a DAMN EARTHQUAKE. Get your butt off of the bed and get moving! I was too terrified and started screaming. My husband had to run upstairs; pull me up and pushed me through the stairs and out the door. When I looked around the neighborhood, I conceived it was no ‘bhoot’ and we just got banged by an Earthquake.

The entire scenario was heard by my team on the phone! We both went back in and sat together. Aftershocks are quite panicking as well so it’s better to sit near the entrance door. I believe I was shaking for the next 15 minutes. Immediately, I updated my Facebook status and in a blink of an eye, the Earthquake status’s jammed up the entire mini-feed page. CNN showed the latest news followed by all the other channels. Pentagon, White House and every building got evacuated in DC. All the networks got disconnected. The funny thing was that Facebook got updated before the media had any clue. HA…Hail to FB! I couldn’t stop myself from giggling while watching the news when the journalist said, “Tokyo must be laughing at us right now”. Well, the panic doesn’t end here. Hurricane Irene is hovering on us. Soon, we’ll feel the wave coming in on this weekend. Wind blowing us at 100 mph and rain slapping us away… Be safe and stay inside!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Last weekend was well spent. Hubby and I decided to spend an entire day in DC. For months my better half wanted to check out the International Spy Museum. Finally, this past Saturday we took a tour of the museum. Three different lines to enter the museum. Firstly, the ticket line followed by the ‘enter the museum’ line and lastly a line to get in the elevator [the longest one]. It was an astonishing experience altogether. Every fact written out on the walls was bewildering. Did you know, “before 9/11, 100 applicants for CIA, post 9/11, 1100 applications”. The CIA spends close to $30 million per day on their missions etc. Totally appalled by some of the facts laid out in the museum. It showed a major battle between KGB (Russia) and CIA (USA). FYI: KGB is awfully adroit and apt in what they do…if we compare it with CIA – my personal opinion.

You can’t be assured that a person walking at the airport or grocery market or at a building is actually a male or a female? The makeup industry has boomed to such level that a human can take identity of a man or woman or even sardar…seriously! The museum showed such clippings of how make up can decrease/increase your age in just minutes. Which means, I will never look older… *giggles*. A spy lives his life on the edge. They are watched every second of their life. It was impressive to see how they communicate at the most oddest location. How they leave packages or information for other agents? …near a garbage can or on a stranded road under a hollow tree trunk and so on… To me, the most obvious spy tactic is hiring a slim, sexy and attractive agent. Did you know that spies get their special build rings, newspaper, umbrella, shoes which has a gun embedded in it? The consequences of this job are certainly extremely jeopardous. One can face detainment, deportation or even death! I wonder how their brain works. Suspecting every activity, questioning every statement, and believing no one whatsoever!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Okay…so we gained our Independence 64 years ago. In these 64 years we have seen hell lot. Been through countless ups and downs. Became the second largest country in the world; population wise. Everything that we have achieved till date…Fails! Simply because, we are not a corrupt free nation. We breathe corruption! Our entire system is profoundly corrupted. From cops to clerks to lawyers to government officials to parliament to PM. If one has to climb a ladder, then it’s wholly dependent on how much ‘karcha paani’ can you provide to climb the ladder. Forget the dedication, honesty, commitment or devotion.

That’s how things roll in our desh. We are not proud of it but we proudly tell the world that India is corrupted. No matter how much we hate it, how many times we discuss it, how much it antagonizes us…we have to live with it. Unless, we stand for our rights and take some action! That’s exactly what Anna Hazare is doing. The man is 74 years old. At this age, he should be least bothered about what the heck goes on with aam junta on a daily basis? Nonetheless, Anna Hazare is fighting the system and will continue until death plans to interfere.

Hazare firmly stands with his words and that is why he holds no fear. He has shown immense devotion for the job he took up. Anna swore to fast until death against corruption. It was nearly impossible for him to get approval from authorities for a location where he and his supporters could fast. As usual, nothing can get done in one-go in our country. The system paraded him left and right. With much regret Anna had to write a letter to our [respected] PM. And in his response Dr. Manmohan Singh declared that, ‘I’m spineless, impotent, and not involved in any decision making process.’

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Even though I had completed this article yesterday, I still wanted to wait till today. I was anxiously waiting to see what government had planned for Anna Hazare’s Anshan at JP Park. Shocking as it sounds, Anna and his saathi got arrested at their residence only. The cops couldn’t even risk his presence in public. Can you imagine how much startled our government is right now? Hilarious! Bhaag bhaag…

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Every morning at the crack of the dawn while opening my eyes; the first thing I do is glance over the Gmail inbox in my HTC. Coincidentally, a couple days back the weather index caught my attention. It was 67 degrees. Insane! Next thing I encountered was my constant sniffling throughout the morning. I frowned. Frowned at the fact that summers are about to come to an end. The sexiness is about to fade away. Soon, we’ll confront the worst of all seasons. Winter! That chilly, freezing, below zero feel. I hate winters! My body shuts down during that time. Actually, even at this very moment while drafting this article, my body is frozen. Frozen in this air conditioned bakery. Why is it that these gora’s can’t enjoy the summers? Soon it’ll be time to dump all the summer clothes at one corner of the closet. The skirt season will go away. The leg show will cease. No more outdoor activities. And no more workout sessions…sigh! Cherish the remaining few days of this weather. Soon, we’ll bid farewell to summers…!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

As we all know that Spirit, Opportunity, and Phoenix successfully landed on Mars and discovered life. Is the next mission sending a man on Mars? If yes, I’m up for it! The three rovers did a splendid job by giving countless clues of life on Mars. A little recap on the Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity flew in 2004 to Mars to detect water particles. Spirit died [deactivated, I meant] in 2010 and Opportunity is still active. Wandering around all alone on the red planet. By the way, I have seen documentaries on both Rovers. The last one I saw was two days ago on Phoenix. You might be unaware of this but Mars has very thick ice sitting at the very top of its planet. Fortunately, the ice itself can reveal the presence of water underneath. Phoenix flew in 2008 and landed in a gigantic crater next to the polar ice cap. The rover was scheduled to perform its entire mission for 90 days. However the craft exceeded its expected operational lifetime for little over two months. Phoenix confirmed the presence of water ice on Mars. Now that the NASA has uncovered the most essential need to conceive life on a planet; can we envision a man mission to Mars? …actually there is a documentary demonstrating how humans can/will survive on Mars; given the fact that we are successful in building our base. Oh man…it would be like a dream come true…!

P.S. Shooting for at least six or more articles in this month. Bonne chance! ! !

Monday, July 25, 2011

Okay, readers! This time I decided to do things a bit differently. As most of you know I follow Shobhaa De’s blog religiously; this time I decided to compose a questionnaire. Mrs. De asked her readers to answer these questions; so here it is…

What is your idea of happiness?
Dancing, writing blogs. Spending quality time with my hubby. Indulging in endless conversations with my girls and not to mention the international calls to India. At times cooking as well. Long drive with the loudest music. Watching countless documentaries of space. A mini walk after dinner combined with a discussion about Space, moon, galaxies with my beau!

What is your greatest fear?
Constant thinking. My mind running endlessly. Constructing all kinds of odd stories in my head and creating a fear of losing someone from life…

Which living person do you admire?
AR Rahman for being so down to Earth and so humble. Madhuri Dixit for being the superlative dancer out there. Wonder when she’ll give another blockbuster…

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Impatience. I might be the most impatient girl on Earth. Literally… I easily get restless. On the other hand, I easily get excited as well, too excited. As my cousin says, “dude, you get excited way too fast”. Cannot stand dirty hands, don’t mind washing my hands 50 times a day.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
I hate fakeness with a passion. Be yourself! People who show off or may I use the word ‘swag’?

What is your favorite journey?
First: The journey that brought me from a small town of India to the United States of Amerikka. Second: The journey of finding my partner to getting engaged and finally getting married!

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience! No discussion, no arguments. Period.

On what occasion do you lie?
Whenever necessary! I mean, com’on…I’m not Satyevadi Harishchand, so you can expect lying at some point. However, to tell you the truth, it’s not difficult to catch me lying. I usually turn red and sweat! HA Oh wait, I do that when I go for a interview as well, does that mean I’m lying? I’m confused…!

What do you dislike about your appearance?
Lord, anyone who knows me well enough can answer this question. I’m a little over weight and hate my metabolism to the core since I gain weight in no time. However, I must rave about the fact that my hubby always calls me PHAT ! ! !

Which living person do you most despise?
Actually for this question, I’d like to rephrase it and use ‘people’ instead of ‘person’. Hands down, have been and will always the Government of our own country! Corrupt bastards.

Which phrases do you most overuse?
Amazing, Oh My Gosh, Pshshsh, Hey Bhagwan, and What say?

What is your greatest regret?
That I didn’t take deep interest in Astronomy as I was growing. That I didn’t learn swimming. That I didn’t become a maniac for workout in my teenage years.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Dancing. My big fat Indian family. Space.

When and where were you happiest?
Whenever I see my mom happy, I feel elated!

What is your present state of mind?
Wandering. Watching rain drops splashing outside; hearing thunderstorms every five some minutes; and countless other thoughts running through the mind…

How would you like to die?
Peacefully. Without hurting anyone…

What is your favorite motto?
Live and let live!
And like Shobhaa De said: ‘Don’t let the music stop…dance on!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Let it go – simple! Let go of that fear, the frustration, the tension, the attitude, the problem…just let it go! Live freely, breathe freely, and fly freely… The movie gave me the goose bumps the all over the body. HA! “The mantal experience, I swear.” Buowy’s acted exceptionally well. Beginning with Abhay Deol: he proved his firm foot in the cinema. I vaguely remember when few respected names in the B’town questioned his credibility in commercial cinema? However, post the success of ZNMD, the dude passed the test. Abhay’s attitude was so calm and composed throughout the film.

Moving on to Hrithik Roshan, sabke dil ki dhadkan… Frankly speaking, I didn’t fancy his role that much. But later, after some analysis, realized how his role was placed on a rollercoaster. His character went through numerous emotions. He performed extremely well. And now coming on to Farhan Akhtar [anxiously waited for his name to appear in my article] *blushing*. Hallelujah! Oh my Gosh, so where do I begin? The ‘dude’ seriously gave the goose bumps with his mantal jokes. He’s a treat to my eyes. I loved him from his debut movie. Farhan is such a convincing actor and I’m certain he must be very particular for his films. I doubt he went an extra mile to comply with his role. It’s as if the character came naturally to him. I really wonder if the persona is different from reel to real life.

Next I would like to comment on Katrina’s acting. The lady has grown immensely as she climbs up the graph in her career. The delivery of her dialogue was crystal. Her presence and emotions kept the audience intact throughout the movie. Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to Javed Sahab for writing such prudent lines for the movie. I believe the soul of the entire film were those few lines which came straight from the heart. The way Farhan articulated them after each quarter of the movie was heart-stopping.

Friday, July 15, 2011

…and it continues on! Same old story, same old tamasha. Terror attacks are not new to us. It’s absolutely pointless to watch television and the news. No point in watching the repeated ‘breaking news’, the egoistic anchors faking concerns about Mumbai and the same ghastly images. We are just not capable of revolting back in the same manner. We just cannot kill Kasab who’s been living in our own jail for past so many years. We just love to feed him daily. We have a problem! And our problem is simple…the system! Our biggest fight is with our system; and it’s been so deeply corrupt that there seems to be no turning back. Why do the mango people have to deal with such agony?

Another body was blown…with zero resistance! Why does Mumbai has to bleed again and again and again? I can continue rambling on about our corrupt politicians, the aam-junta, the terrorists, the media and so on… however, the truth simply is that: it will continue on, whether we like it or not! Not much has changed from 26/11 and nothing will change from this point onwards either. It was bewildering to see Barkha Dutt’s tweets and how she said ‘things are under control’. Not sure what exactly was under control after so many deaths??? Rahul Gandhi’s ill statement antagonized me even more. “We cannot stop every terror attack.” I would desperately want to find out which attack has he ever averted? Wonder when and where will be the next attack?

Monday, July 11, 2011

wish to give you my notions on the supposedly grand IIFA awards that just happened last weekend.

All over the social media including the page of a prominent South Asian website, many South Asians are criticizing the actual awards ceremony. Even though the stage was fascinating and the production fabulous, the show itself was a big disappointment filled with corny jokes and poor performances with panting lead dancers, uncomfortable pauses of silence, sub-grade sound quality, etc. The show was so pathetic that the hosts had to actually ask people for standing ovations! Standing ovations should come impromptu, when the performers say or do something that strikes a chord with the audience. Also, not enough big time stars showed up. Preity Zinta, Hritik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and a host of others were no shows.

So what did we taxpayers get for $12m that Michael Chan, the Ontario minister for tourism and culture, proclaimed Ontario dished out? Even he on Matt Galloway’s CBC metro morning show on Tuesday, June 21 seemed sceptical about the immediate benefits that supposedly drew in only 40,000 visitors, unlike other home grown festivals that draw a million plus visitors. All we got was a poorly organized and second rate awards ceremony that did not respect time (it started an hour late) and dragged on for 5 hours so that by the time the people rolled out, there was no TTC available to go home. Also many are questioning as to what exactly happened to the $12m? Was it used to pay exorbitant fees to enrich already rich Indian actors? If that is the case, surely the money will go out of Canada. And for what? To please the South Asian diaspora from which many are actually cribbing at how badly they got ripped off?

Besides this, right after the Brampton buzz event held over the June 17-19 weekend, one bold Bramptonian questioned the Mayor of Brampton on her facebook page as to what happened to the $300K that was apportioned to Brampton. The reply from the Mayor’s office was that no such amount was spent on the buzz event, that they were rumours. Also the rumoured $50K-$80K paid to Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu was denied. A few hours after Michael Chan came on CBC radio stating that all communities got $300K through a program called ‘Celebrate’, the whole thread on this subject was deleted from the Mayor of Brampton’s facebook page. Are we living in a democracy where we are allowed to express our opinion freely or what? Isn’t the Mayor’s facebook page there to express citizens’ gripes as well as praise the Mayor for the many good things she has done (and she definitely has, I will not deny that).

Another major question is did IIFA really crack the mainstream market? As Matt Galloway said on CBC metro morning, GTA’s number one morning radio show, for many it is a circus.

So Ontario dished out $12m plus $300K for each community, i.e $13m plus for a mediocre circus?! One that did not even please the audience it was meant for?! Maybe there was more money spent that we are unaware of.

Mohit Rajhans- who also comes on CBC radio, asked Bollywood actor Anupam Kher at the awards if Toronto should host more such shows. Kher said yes. When Mohit asked our premier Dalton McGuinty the same question, he was non-committal; some say the premier’s mannerism was such that even he seemed unsure about the sanity of spending so many millions for a circus.

I hope the Ontario government has learned a lesson. $13m could have been better spent on more meaningful programs. If certain cultures want to break into the North American market, they should do it on their own steam and money not ours!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

How many of you believe that Casey Anthony is not the murderer of little Caylee Anthony?

This is how I got so hooked to the case. One fine afternoon, while having lunch with the family, my brother initiated the story of Casey Anthony and how the media is going totally berserk over it. I was all ears while he narrated the entire story. However, I never kept the conversation intact in my head and never bothered to Google this lady. Days passed by and I kept hearing something or the other about Anthony’s case. This past weekend FOX news caught my attention while the prosecutor was blabbing about this murder. The courtroom grabbed my undivided attention. I sat for the next few hours and weighed all the allegations made towards Ms. Anthony. Ditto for the following day. 3 days went by and I was just about ready to hear the Judge’s verdict.

Today, while savoring on some Pulao, I kept my concentration on the clock. 2:15PM was the chosen time to announce Casey’s fate. My eyes and ears were dumbstruck when the lady said ‘Not Guilty’. All this time, I was too sure [like the rest of the country] that she was the murderer. However, the verdict was ‘not guilty’. It was funny to see how every single journalist on the news started their sentence with ‘I’m speechless’. It was also funny to see how every tweet said ‘I’m shocked’. …actually we can still bypass the media and tweeple’s reaction but what about Casey’s wicked smile right after the verdict. I bet no one missed the giggle she had on her face. Gets me wondering what she plans to do tonight! *giggling*
It clearly shows that this murder was premeditated. Casey decided to leave her parents house for 31 days [of course] to kill her daughter. She intentionally notified the cops after 31 days about her missing daughter. By that time her daughter’s body was completely decomposed and very minimal evidence could be found. To make it more brutal, Caylee’s skull was found with a duct tape on it. For heaven’s sake, which mother holds the courage to perform such act?

There was so much evidence provided to the court, however, the jury wholly ignored it. Apparently, they found the only twelve people who still think the world is Flat! No wonder Judge Perry decided to keep the identity of jurors under wrap. I gotta feeling that she’ll walk free on Thursday and will take up the book offer. Yup, she already got a book offer and I bet she’ll be making millions from her story. Oh yeah, and if anyone finds out the father of this toddler, please do share with the entire nation!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Peeps…fasten your seatbelts because the coming months are extremely titillating in Tinsel Town. OMG, blockbusters are about to release and I can’t wait to watch ‘first day first show’. Alrite, maybe not the first day…! Got too excited! The incitement is increasing with the music releases only. Is it just me or is this year bombarded with some fabulous movies?

Well, the first and foremost on everyone’s list is Bbudah Hoga Tera Baap! The name itself has created some brouhaha! AB Sr. is back with a bang. From the trailers it seems it’ll be a kick-ass comedy of all AB’s old movies. The ‘dude’ is sixty above and still does everything with panache…! Hail to the megastar. Delhi Belly has rocked the nation with DK Bose and PENCHARrrr [my personal fav]. It’s a full on hatke film and the teenagers especially are eagerly waiting for it. I believe now IK has a firm foot in the bollywood industry.

I’m sure all the guys are breathlessly waiting for Mallika Sherawat’s Double Dhamaal! O yeah, the girl is finally back to movies. Up until now, she was too busy flaunting her in the Hollywood media. Must say, she knows how to be on Page 3…like all the time’. SRK is planning to comeback with RA.One. My gut feeling says, ‘it’ll be a flop or just so-so’… No offense to all SRK fans out there. However, he’s a charmer and I doubt he can do justice to the robotic and action filled movies.

Well, the movie that I’m energetically waiting for is Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The entire cast is literally to die for. Farhan Akhtar after Rock On is the most charming actor I find in the industry. Post Dev D, Abhay Deol and Kalki combination is surely a super hit. Anyhow, enough of movies! The most recent and tadakti phadakti news on the net, TOI, Twitter and every media channel is that Ashiwariya is expecting… OMG OMG, bhadai ho Bachchan parivaar!

WOW, hats off to my full on masala and total time pass article. Gotta love it’…

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Mrs. Shobhaa De described him as, “A true renaissance figure… So much larger than life”. Okay! Sure is, however, can one justify some of his paintings regarding our Hindu religion? Heck NO. To tell you the truth, I knew him as a very famous painter and the guy who directed ‘Gaja Gamini’ with Madhuri Dixit. That’s it! I lacked the knowledge on his nude paintings of many Hindu Goddesses and his infatuation towards women. Just recently I came across those paintings and I was jolted by this man’s filthy mind. His mind drooled out his lust and paintings portrayed the disgusted thoughts towards our Hindu Goddesses.

Not too surprised to read about his non-bailable warrant after the obscenity of our religion. Glad he lived in exile outside India. It’s bewildering to see how Hindu’s have become a punching bag in the society. Had it been a portrait of other religion, a chaos and a bigger hoopla would’ve occurred. I’m dissatisfied by many who are actually supporting this insulting act. And to tell you the truth, it seems as if only the elite class is in favor of these paintings. If MFH was a true Indian, he would’ve understood the most sensitive part of Indians is their religion. However, the old man only belonged to the high class society. Our socialites do not feel offended simply because they believe in ‘going with the flow’ instead of walking alone!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

What is going on in our country? What’s the fuss about? Why can’t we stand up and take charge of situations? Why has corruption ruled us over for more than six decades? Why are the mango people suffering in their daily lives? …etc etc. I can ramble on with n number of questions; however, what’s the point? Will it lead to a solution? Probably not! Reason being; crooks running the government, bribable cops and biased laws towards each individual.

The ‘Baba Ramdev’ thing [as many would like to call it] has created quite some hoopla in the media. Everything seems to have shut down and all the attention is angled towards Baba. Yesterday morning, I was shocked to find out about ‘lathi charge’ and ‘teargas shells’ amongst the followers. According to many sources and my better half, this atrocious and absolutely barbaric act has shown the stupidity of government and Congress. The entire destruction has led many people to ‘like’ Baba and ‘hate’ the government. One major thing our government fails to understand is that, we Indians are highly emotional people and connect very easily. Do meethe bol and we are hooked…to you!

The gruesome act performed by the cops during the ‘Anshan’ of Baba Ramdev was totally uncalled. The common man in India has no freedom at all. There was absolutely no need of attacking innocent people. I can bet there are many out there who do not support Baba but still stand with him because of the simple reason: concern about their fundamental rights and democracy as a citizen! And the most cheerless part is that a tamasha is highly required in order to gain a simple right… Why? Why can’t the government make our country a peaceful place to live? Why is the common man suffering the most?

The Congress literally showed it’s incompetency as usual in mishandling the whole thing at the cost of putting lives of women and children at peril. What if there had been a stampede? Nevertheless, Congress wouldn’t have taken charge of any such operation. They are just impotent!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Memorial Day Weekend turned out to be a kick ass vacation for me and my fellow family mates. ‘Finally VA meets UT’, like my cousin said! As the last week began, the excitement started to emerge. On Thursday night I had n number of things on my ‘Things to do list’. Laundry, packing, cleaning, etc. At the dawn of Friday I reached the airport to fly away to Utah Land. Twenty minutes before the arrival, the magnificent and absolutely gorgeous mountains of Utah made me say ‘Oh My God, Really?’

It was a complete bliss to view the surroundings during touchdown. As we walked out the airport, we anxiously awaited to meet our cousin and her beau. Hugged her tightly, picked up our rental… and then the party began! First stop was not something fancy, just driving around Salt Lake City was itself a special place to visit. It’s astonishing to see how the entire city is wrapped between trails of mountains. Everywhere we went; the scenic view was breath taking. The evening plan was to watch Hangover 2. Hilarious. Next morning driving to Moab, Utah was truly delightful. The entire four hour drive was encircled with all kinds of mountains. Every hill was different from other. The roads in particular reminded us of Hangover 1 and couple other Indian films. HA! The first stop was at Canyon Land and the view was again thrilling. The red colored mountains, the breeze, the blazing hot sun on top and the cameras clicking us away was superlative. We acted as typical Indians and wrote our names on the mountains. Our desi-ness comes out everywhere we go. Yeah, laugh it up! Next, we drove to Arches National Park. Another ajooba, if I may… To see those really odd looking mountains which mostly looked like bricks well shaped and crafted amused each one of us. The pattern of flowing water was clearly visible of all those rocks. Proved that the entire place was once beneath water. Mother Nature can literally shock you with its miracles.

We ended up viewing the entire sunset from the hills. Awesome view! Drove back to the city and encountered millions of stars in the sky. I doubt I have ever seen that many stars altogether. It looked magnificent. Although, it was kind of frightening to see no one on the road. It was about 1AM and we all were seriously sleep deprived. Next morning decided to stay local. Drove to hilltop, started a snow fight, clicked pictures, saw crowded hills covered with snow, clicked pictures, ate at Punjabi Dhaba, clicked pictures, stopped at Park City, got a glimpse of Olympics area, clicked pictures, updated FB status, discussed n number of activities, however did nothing and drove back home! Phew…

VA met UT and now it was time to fly back to the pavilion. Next morning we all had to catch our flights back home. However, how can one complete a trip to Utah without experiencing some snow showers? It was freezing cold the minute I step my foot outside. The mountains were covered with icy snow, weather looked hazy, clouds hovered upon me and the body kept shivering. That moment made me realize ‘Lord, do I miss home or what’? While Virginians were showing off legs and sweating in sultry weather, I was bundled up in layers. The overall trip was certainly a memorable expedition. Highly recommend the haseen vadiyan and khula aasman…

Friday, May 13, 2011

Please excuse me for the insolent title of this article. Our bloody politicos are good for nothing people. Last night while surfing through YouTube, I came across an audio recording. I was jolted by the filthy conversation between Amar Singh and Bipasha Basu. I turned over to my better half to find out the details of this scandal.

So, Amar Singh phones got tapped back in 2006 and the Supreme Court had put a gag order on the audio conversations. Just recently the gag order got lifted and BINGO! Amar Singh’s image got exploited in the media. At first, I could not digest the fact that the other person on line was actually Bips! I heard it twice. OMG, even the sound of them two flirting together was filled with disgust. I really don’t understand how these B’town girls can sleep around with ‘tharki’ men like Amar Singh! Ugh…again, excuse the language! Thanks to our movies, I too, have learnt some provocative language. Now that our Beedi girl got exposed, she can say goodbye to her beau forever. Seriously, who would want some old bastard when you are the ‘lover girl’ of the Macho Man of India? Basu’s nine year old relationship eradicated in nine minutes.

Well, tamasha doesn’t end here! YouTube is polluted with such phonic conversations. Another discussion I encountered was with Jaya Prada. I don’t feel the need of going into details. Let’s just say, a lot got revealed about how the so-called-Richie-rich compensate for the best interior decorators for their Villa’s. Not to forget the ghapla’s required for the gaddi’s at the Parliament ghar. Now that Singh’s image is completely tarnished; bogus stories are being made from his side. Per his statement, the voice samples were ‘concocted and doctored’. Give us a break! Will ya…?

Monday, May 9, 2011

What is it about this glittery and electrifying city? Why is one so eager to be at this one particular city? This past weekend I was roaming at the streets of Manhattan. Every time I visit this place, I feel content. This city can allure anyone and everyone. It’s attracting nature, those sky-scrapers, sloppy roads, unkempt subways, and flamboyant attitude is a completely different experience. In the midst of this city, it feels strangely colorful. One can connect with this place within seconds.

The glamorous life of this city is extremely mesmerizing. It’s a city of dreams. A city of risk takers. It can hit you hard or it can hold you firmly in its hands. A taxi driver can become millionaire in no time and vice versa. One needs to try their luck at this place. The most bewildering part is that a taxi driver and a stock market analyst ride on the same subway. Quite astounding… Times Square is one of the most hip and happening place on our Globe. 24/7 it gleams and sparkles with lights, glitzy commercials, humungous banners promoting the hottest technology, movies, movie stars, famous brands, top selling cars… Everything is done with panache at this city. It seems as if special advertisements are created for all the products to showcase on Times Square.

I envision NYC as the most pampered city in the entire US of A. Believe me, special arrangements are made for this particular place. Security is extra high; the New Year ball only drops at Times square; best targeted location for terrorists; the most favorable location for every visitor; excellent spot for commercialization/advertisements; world’s best transportation rests beneath the sky-scrapers; and superlative place to discover all sorts of trashy people. Yeah, I detected ‘those types of people’ as well.

The article cannot be complete without the mention of 9/11 attacks on the most fondled city in USA. Well, justice has been served. OBL is dead! The souls of all the victims may rest in peace and a big salute to all the fire fighters who selflessly rescued hundreds of people buried in the piles of debris. However, with security increasing post death of OBL, one question is hovering on everyone’s mind… Is a dead Osama better than Osama alive?

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Literally! The news has shaken the entire world. The demise of Osama Bin Laden was much awaited by US of A. What Bush couldn’t do in years was accomplished by Mr. Barack Obama. That’s it man! Donald Trump can stop playing his cheap tricks because Obama is not stepping down. The second term presidency is fixed for Mr. O.

Back to Osama, so the loser was staying at Pakistan all this time, that too in an open Mansion close to the capital of P’tan. It seems as if Pakistan has become a guest town for all terrorists. I can ramble on few more sentences but I prefer to leave it as it is… Everyone is raising enormous questions since Obama-Osama aftermath. Why was Osama staying at Pakistan? Did Pakistan know the whereabouts of Laden? Where are the pictures/videos? How can we be sure that the person who died is unquestionably Osama only? From the speech given by Obama, it seemed that US is on a peace track with Pakistan. However, by reading the very latest news on CNN, Pakistan is alleging of being obscure of the entire mission. Another question that popped in my head was why the sudden rush of burying the body; that too in the sea? Many will believe it and others will interrogate the media left and right! It’s extremely hard to digest the fact that the Number One most wanted man is DEAD!

Sunday night people suspected the termination of stringent security checks at the airport. However, Monday morning the US government declared even tighter security at every port of entry/exit into USA. Infact, at my work, I received an email with the subject ‘If you see something, say something’… US have hit the terrorist world hard. I can only imagine the consequences of Laden’s downfall in the coming years [maybe months].

US have done a splendid job by killing Laden. Infact, every county who had been targeted by terrorist should’ve been on the same track. However, it’s time for America to release the transparency of the whole matter. How they founded and gutted down Osama, else it’s going to create falsehood in one’s mind. Actually, it already is… On ever y search engine, one can only find opinions/assumptions of the entire mission. It is extremely important for the world to find out how, when, where, the mission started?

Friday, April 15, 2011

Raise hands if you learnt about Anna through the barrel of Facebook… My hand raised! Be it UK, Australia, or America, most of the Indians didn’t know about Anna’s fight for corruption. Actually, count India as well. Bet many youngsters were obscured from this news. Even though many of us are quite regular on TOI, we still bypassed the intense news revolving around politics or corruption. Reason being: Cricket World Cup Match. When Cricket is broadcasting on TV/Internet/News, Indians stand still. No one gives a damn about who’s getting hitched/ditched? Who’s running the elections? Whose raping or getting raped? Who’s dying? No one cares! The story ends at Cricket. Period.

India won and next thing you know [via Facebook], Anna Hazare going on fast. Support him at Jantar Mantar! Mera Neta Chor Hai! I bet, even today, thousands are alien as to why Anna-ji was fasting and what was the hoopla all about? My significant other had to explain me what exactly the Jan Lokpal bill is… I doubt an army of a dozen people can prosecute politicians or bureaucrats. Corruption in itself is a very powerful enemy and we need the entire country against it to diminish permanently. Considering the fact that the whole nation went completely ga-ga over Hazare’s crusade; from this point onwards would you think twice before jumping a signal or bribing a cop so that the situation can be dismissed? Easier said than done’! Few days back, my dad gave me an excellent example of Chandigarh and how bribery is nowhere to be found in that place. Even the cops are loyal, let alone other facilities and the mango people…

Anna Sahab did his deed by showing the right track to our youth. He even made our work elementary by concocting a body of individuals with the power to prosecute even the prime minister let alone politicians or so-called-lawmakers. Now it’s our turn to stay focused and motivated and loyal to the non-corrupt path. Can we all do that? Rome was not built in a day! So, the change will go into effect but bit by bit. After all, we too desire an honorable and truthful life.

Just a thought: Indian people are very tolerate. However, now the misuse has gone beyond imagination. The way our government’s chamber of secrets are revealing; it’s getting difficult to stay mute and bear the burden of our rotten politicians. It’s high time now!!!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Tu slim shim banle ve zor laga ke… Oh my!!! How much I miss out on my workout sessions, gym days, and the never-ending strenuous Shenandoah Valley hiking trails? Every day I feel guilty while consuming another bite of ‘roti’. Every day I get pissed for wasting another day without workout. And now it has been almost a month without exercise. Sitting at home, loading up on food, becoming a couch potato are not the best ways to stay in shape. Living around Indian food has many pros and cons. There’s no other delicious food out there except for our desi food. Okay okay, my fellow readers will get offended if I don’t mention about Thai food. That’s an exception! Yumm! However, believe me; the amount of ‘desi ghee’ poured in every desi entrée is un-believable! Plus, there are out of this world feeding tactics used on every child in every family. ‘Take one more roti just one more, last one, com’on take it take it, some rice too’. Count the roti’s and then calories!

The worst part is yet to come. While having lunch, the dinner menu will come into play for a discussion. And while having dinner, the next morning’s breakfast will get debated. Are you serious? Shouldn’t we enjoy the present moment and the food in front of us? Not so, in our culture. I can sense the fattening feeling from the debate let alone consuming the food. I’m sure all my blog readers can relate to this amazing quality of all the families out there. Only if everything we consumed was fat-free… Only if the calories never existed on Planet Earth… Only if no workout was required to stay in shape… Only if. Every female can associate herself with this article. It’s more like ‘har ladki ki kahani…’

Anyhow, the whole point of writing this article was to motivate my inner self so that I could get back to the ‘routine’. Only if the summer was already here, I wouldn’t be cribbing. But, thanks to this never-ending winter!!! Hoping/praying for a red, hot, sultry, sunny, sweaty, summery season. Fun times ahead…

Monday, April 4, 2011

Goodness gracious!!! I missed my articles, my writing, my random thoughts, my opinions, and much more. This past month, life changed dramatically and believe me…I relish this change every minute. Anyhow, let’s not get into those details. I have another article under-production dedicated only to that transition.

We Won! We Won! India Won! That’s the brand new mantra all across the nation and globe. If there’s a single Indian residing in an alien country, s/he is celebrating to the fullest. Winning the match from a strong contender and our very own neighbor is no Joke. This match was not an ordinary match. It was bigger than a Karan Johar or Shahrukh Khan Film or the 3G scam or even the Commonwealth Games. This was the baap of everything. The intensity of Cricket is beyond imagination. To find out the real meaning of Cricket, one should travel to India during the World Cup. No one cares about job, school, college, homework, exam, movies, movie stars… Only cricket runs through the mind. And if Sachin is playing, the world stops and so does the time. He’s the God, the real idol of our nation [literally]. For proof, please meet my significant other. He won’t tolerate a single comment against the God. Period.

Today is the D-day itself. It’s life or death. The last world cup we won was in 1983 on this very day. We have been eagerly waiting for another victory. India is batting at this very moment and our beloved got out. I almost had a fit for a moment and Facebook got crowded with sad comments/frown emoticons. Tweeple started bombarding twitter with uncalled tweets. The fans are going totally bonkers at the stadium. With every good shot the entire public goes ga-ga. ‘We will rock you!’ No doubt, no double thoughts, no qualms. The match got real intense in the beginning. It could have gone either way. Sri Lanka had a fair chance however we didn’t lose hope. On the last ball Dhoni did it with his SIXER. He lifted the spirits of the entire nation. That’s exactly what we needed. We did it! We won the World Cup 2011. After twenty eight hard years we finally achieved the one and only goal. A salute to all the men in blue. The atmosphere became too sentimental. Everyone around had joy of tears when the boys picked up the God himself. This win is wholly and entirely dedicated to Sachin. He’s the man and always will be. Hail to the Master Blaster!

The street life after the match was unthinkable, unmatchable to any celebration ever. Mango people went totally bonkers. Traffic didn’t seem as painful. The patriotism emerged out of every living soul in India and elsewhere. There were more tri-colours on view than ever before. Thousands and thousands of euphoric Indians were on the roads. I wish I was in India to witness the enthusiasm, the madness, the mania. The scene on the Marine Drive/India Gate/Gateway of India was bizarre. We created history on Saturday April 2, 2011. The most memorable day ever! RESPECT to the men in blue…

“He carried the nation for 21 years and it is about time we carried him” – Virat Kohli

Monday, March 7, 2011

A very tingly feeling is running through my mind. A blend of pure bliss and a bit of agitation. Is this normal for a girl? As your life progresses, transitioning from the Miss column to Mrs is certainly not a smooth change. I’ve always wondered what a girl actually feels deep inside while entering the married life. How exactly does it affect her? What is the feeling of being called a wife, a daughter-in-law? Does it feel heavy on the shoulders with the biggest responsibility ever? I guess the feeling varies from person to person.

A constant restlessness revolves in the heart and mind. It’s impossible to accept that life will definitely take a 360 from this point beyond. Good wishes are thrown at you from everywhere; constant phone calls; congratulations buzzes on the ear non-stop. Along with the excitement, a very odd kind of nervousness follows your shadow. This is feeling before the ‘day’ itself…wonder what will be the experience later on…!

The ‘dude’ has finally arrived and the past weekend was occupied with high spirits. Extreme masti mode at the house and around. Words cannot describe the height of elation felt while sitting in his presence. The comfortness received from his end needs a special mention. The D-day is about to arrive and the excitement is elevating by the minute. Let’s try to make the best out of every second. As my relatives say, these moments will be cherished forever and the time will never come again.

Monday, February 28, 2011

The bridal shower was meticulously arranged by my lovely sisters. I was quite astonished to find out ‘hypothetically’ there is an evening planned by them. Hypothetically, I started to envision my wardrobe at that very minute. That’s when the bewilderment grew in my mind. Oh Gosh, finding that perfect outfit is always number one problem for any and every girl. Especially when all eyes are on You. My over flown closet was no help and a trip to the mall had to be made. Accompanied with my girlfriend, I was able to mix and match some stuff from the closet and some from the mall. The dress was finalized, the ear-rings matched, the make up was decided and the stilettos looked Fab.

The very next morning, I had to juggle through tons. Catching up on the score of India vs. England, attending phone calls, arranging future functions, a stop at the hair salon…phew! Anyhow, it was a sheer bliss moment to see all the girls waiting at the table for the bride-to-be. The food was definitely yum-yum. Good choice, girls! Apparently the game played was the most staggering part, at least for me and for everyone else [I guess]. Basically, one of my cousins already had answers from him for 20 some questions and I had to write answers and match it. A fun way to find out ‘how well do you know your man’? My Gosh, I felt like I know so little about this dude. I mean com’on, how hard it is to know a person. Turns out, Very! Anyhow, the game was quite witty and we all giggled a lot. The answers were quite amusing from his side.

It was a perfect way to begin the festivities for the coming weeks. Weddings are such a big deal in our culture and definitely the most loved time of a year. From the elderly to the youngest; all look forward to it with such eagerness.

Speaking of weddings; saw Tanu weds Manu this past weekend. The first half doubtlessly reminded the shaadi season in India. The shopping at the tiny and congested gali’s of Chandni Chowk, venue’s, menu’s, food stalls, mehndi, shagun, baraat and so on… The latter half was dragged on for no reason. I guess the producer had to match the time length of our typical bollywood movies. Lastly, Madhavan was a treat to the eyes. *wink wink*

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Finally, the day has arrived to appreciate the opposite sex. In this fast paced life, it’s good to have 14th February dedicated only for your loving partner. From tomorrow onwards, folks will appreciate other things. However, today is wholly allotted only for love. V-day wishes are flying all across the world. Phone companies are relishing the endless sms’s sent on this day, Hallmark is partying hard with lumps of profit, brand new love advertisements are shinning on all channels, diamond industry is having a gala time and the flower shop is doing exceptionally well!

I walked to the nearest grocery store and gawked at the price tags on beautifully red roses placed right in front of the door. I bet the scenario is very similar at all the grocery stores, florist shops and pretty much everywhere. Companies out there exactly know when to hit the consumer hard. It’s a trap… a trap which is unavoidable. Cheesy as it sounds but I glanced through the valentine pictures flaunted by Khloe Kardashian on Twitter. Her husband did a fantastic job by sending her hundreds of flowers; that company must be feeling blessed to have customers like them!

Anyhow, this was just a bit of gossip I wanted to share with all my readers. I presume Valentine’s was celebrated by all the couples in a very subtle manner. And G’luck to all the companies out there who are waiting for February 14, 2012. Hope we stay alive by that time…

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

It's not oil, food, or clothing, it's the People who get imported from India. Next time you walk by the IT/Systems/Engineering department at work, stop and look around. How many Indian head can you spot? Undoubtedly, Indian brain power is par excellence. We might not have the best of dormitories or the fancy restrooms or even the local roads but we rule the entire world when it comes to the IT industry. The education a student gets in India is beyond comparison. In US, a student is ‘undecided’ on his/her major even after the admission to a college. However, in India it’s the total opposite, a student decides his/her career in 8th standard only. Considered more like a destiny!!!

Few years ago I heard stories of how teenagers are inventing games in their free time and selling it at a marvelous price. When you’re studying in India, the mind set of a student is on a completely different level. Youngsters who migrate to US for Masters or MBA consider the syllabus to be a piece of cake. Life cannot get better for them, at least grade wise. Infact, during my school years, I too acknowledged myself to be very intelligent in one of my Math classes. Oh man, those were the days! Universities in India make you fully marketable for any and every company out there. The entrance exams are tougher than you can imagine in your wildest dreams. Students loose sleep over it, skip meals, and go fully bonkers. If you pass, OMG, it’s literally celebrated with Band Baja Baraat. Well, that’s just the beginning; the reality starts with the first day of lecture. In US, it’s a totally different drill. From schooling to university to courses to graduation. A student has the leisure of graduating at his/her own pace. No pressure, no worries!

One can have an endless debate over the education provided in US and India. However, when it comes to earning money; it’s US all the way. Irrespective of how much a person earns in India, it automatically multiplies by 45 when gained in US. No wonder, more than eighty percent of IIT graduates end up making a living in US. I’m sure all the gora people envy the Indians for their brilliance. Our intelligence and rapid growth forced the most known and famous television network [NBC] to produce a show on us. You got that right; I am referring to ‘Outsourced.’ The show is fantabulous and hilarious. So, watch out World, we are catching up to you way too fast!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

The hoopla these days is about the IT Raid at the Piggy Chops and Kat’s residence. My my… either the celebrities know exactly how to stay on Page 3 or the media has excelled in crafting news! Earlier the buzz was about how the chocolate boy Shahid, greeted the IT officials and now the tables have turned towards RK and his perfect exit on the raid morning. Mano yah na mano, but in India, life revolves around the B’town controversies and gossips. It’s as masala filled as a chat papdi plate.

Either the celebrities highly enjoy these nuisances or get really pestered. Anyhow, both ways, it’s chandi and sona for them. There are millions of people in this country who crave for such attention. I liked the way how PC presented herself on the premiere of her new film. She really grabbed all eyes with her entry in a wedding gown and exit as a mourner. Her frustration towards the media was clearly visible. I could imagine how she wanted to kill seven more media men…

Our country is filled with the weirdest news and we never get amazed with it. We have become completely shock-proof by now. There’s nothing startling about any new news in the media. Oh well, since there is enough brouhaha about Saat Khoon Maaf, I am looking forward to the movie. Ms. Chopra has given enough chills with her spectacular performance in many other movies. And the trailers of SKM tingles you to the core.

…and now Kat and her hoping around between Ranbir and Sallu. My Gosh, the lady needs some hardcore stability in her life. I think Sheila’s jawani is turning into desperation. *wink wink*

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Boy O Boy…Stunned and stumped! I believe she’s the first ever gutsy lady from Pakistan. Veena Malik literally electrified her entire country with her straightforward remarks. I tuned in to watch her interview with Frontline. Firstly, I’d like to give a tip to the host – Please learn some communication skills before you appear again on national television. Secondly, the other guy accusing Veena and at the same time addressing her as his ‘behan’ showed the double standards. Now, back to Veena Malik! She stood for herself and fought with the entire nation who’s accusing her of going beyond the limits of being a Pakistani woman. Like she mentioned that she went to the show as an entertainer and not to promote Muslim religion or her country. Excellent point! But why is it so hard for people to digest this fact?

It is said by many strugglers that Bigg Boss can make or break a career. Veena took full advantage of this show. Clearly, her motive was to get into the heart of aam junta and a ticket to Bollywood. Too common these days! However, Veena was the chosen one who got this huge platform to flaunt as much as she can. Revealing clothes has become a fashion statement these days. If it is was an issue for Pakistan then they should look around and learn about their own youth culture. Another accusation was the extreme mushiness with different male contestants of the show. Well, the accusation is completely legit. However, given the fact that she desperately wants an entry in Bollywood, she will go beyond limits and she did! It’s a known fact; people go all out even for a single offer. Our Mumbai nagariya is extremely bewitching. Spares no one!

There are countless girls like Veena who have openly flaunted their personality and body. Take Rakhi Sawant for an example, the country has learned to develop a love-hate relationship with her. Feel free to call Veena as the new Rakhi of Pakistan. Ms. Malik seems to be going through a rough time post dismissal from the Bigg Boss house. I fail to understand, why does Pakistan always rave about their religion and restrictions [especially for women]? Why do some people choose to live in a box? Is there no life beyond religion…???

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A complete ‘dhinchak’ movie and extremely nostalgic. I could totally imagine myself wandering at the locals of Delhi and listening to the most non sense topics being discussed by the most vaille people. Shruti Kakkad and Bitto Sharma literally stole the show. I thoroughly enjoyed both of the characters. Walking into a wedding just to gulp some delicious food was the done thing. Muft ka khana, kabhi bhi, kahi bhi! The bee-ness two of them started was absolute fun, frolic and filled with entertainment. At least that’s what it looks like from the outside…you dig deep and it’s a chaos. Wedding bee-ness is huge in India. People treat weddings no less than Diwali, it’s a celebration which takes enormous amount of time and energy. Anyhow, back to BBB, I dreamt of bread-pakora last night. Come this weekend and I’m so frying bread-pakora’s. Fatty…but I’ll still savour them followed by a 30 min run!!! Actually a run is mandatory, regardless of fried pakora.

Every scene reminded me of my life back home. Ahh, those were the days! Under the monsoon weather, walking in a swimming pool on the roads of Chandni Chowk; waiting for the kulfi wala to scream out loud ‘kulfi le lo’… Altogether, I fancied the entire film. The duo looks fresh and promising. Can’t lean more towards the guy but Anushka definitely made her place in the B’town.

Friday, January 21, 2011

So, finally I saw No One Killed Jessica. A girl found shot dead because she refused to give a drink to a fellow who turned out to be the son of a wealthy politician. From this incident, we have established that a common man’s value is less than a drink! 300 high society socialites’s; grooving to the taal of bollywood music; drenched in desi daaru; and ‘BANG’ a girl found dead. Pretty much everyone witnessed the entire murder or the aftermath. However, the police failed to present a single witness when it came to deliver justice to the poor girl. Reason…witnesses found solace in bribe than sachai...

Totally understandable! You know why, because at the end of day sabko apni jaan pyari hai! Even the cops were corrupt. When the authorities and the judicial system itself are imposing the righteousness of bribery then who are we to blame the common man? Sabrina Lal, sister of Jessica, ran door to door; personally met the witnesses; infact, she was forced to give money to one of them and still no justice… Basically, if one’s not rich, one has no right to live..? I was so aggravated to see the injustice in our country that I felt helpless and enraged. It was Sabrina who decided not to shed one tear until the murderer was proven guilty; it was Sabrina who fought for ten straight years and still fighting; it was Sabrina who begged witnesses to speak the truth; it was Sabrina who lost her sister and later her mother; it was her! Government itself is so highly corrupt that a murderer proudly walks around the roads of Delhi or Mumbai.

One cannot even imagine how traumatized a family gets around such time. I personally knew someone who has been through a similar incident. And believe me; the amount of pressure is thrown on family members by society, neighbors, and friends leads to a simple solution. No need of mentioning the solution, my reader’s are smart enough to interpret.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Hi! My name is X and I want you to read my story. Just like any other girl, I too, went to school, dreamt and lived a happy life. Both of my parents are dentist and we had a substantial living. Infact, we also had a domestic help; Y, he settled at our villa only. I was inhumanely murdered on the dark night of May 15, 2008. And a day after, Y was found dead on our terrace. My throat was cut out and I was bruised all over. The savages maligned me to the core. That night was filled with torture and brutality. But I won’t show-off about that night, it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m dead, na! Formality sakes, the police showed up and investigated.

To persuade the media about their productive-ness, they arrested my father. My case lured the entire nation. CBI got entangled in the intensity of my case. They also ended up arresting Y’s friend, Z. Afterwards, they brought in two more suspects who were somehow in contact with Y before his murder. In this mess, my mother ran door to door, pleading for a bail for my father. But you know our judicial system. Ek dum Jhakaas! Eventually, he was bailed out after surviving a little over a month in the jail. Physical harassment is still bearable but mental torture…! As expected, the media went frenzy over the bail. For more than two years, my parents have been running from court to court to court and no justice. Instead, they have become the prime suspects. The others were let go, finally. I must say, I became very popular with this case. I never expected to be on the front headlines. However, my parents are paying a huge price for this fame. My sympathies.

But, I’m happy here. I don’t have to deal with our inept judicial system or worry about getting raped, again. Now that I’m looking at this world from a different angle, I’m feeling too bliss to be dead…err...murdered. The evidences of my investigation were wiped out because the officials were shoved with bags of money. Good for them. My friends were called for questioning as well. I want to apologize for the inconvenience. But, I should tell you that people have found this masala news very amusing. And to spice it a bit, media throws in more suspects and makes up news.

Khair, it’s thy world, thou shall deal with it. So, has Bollywood industry already sorted out a script on my life story? They might as well, because the CBI terminated the case without solving it.

Monday, January 3, 2011

And once again we bid farewell to yet another year and decade. Let’s all rejoice and step into a new beginning; a new decade. I bet every human body made new resolutions and plan to stick to it for the whole year. Try your best, no pressure! Last year was fantastic with Sheila and Munn… am sure we’ll mesmerize the two in this year as well. It was a year of the Commonwealth Games at New Delhi; a year of Sacking Tendulkar; a year of Sallu miyan and Dabangg. 2010 brought enormous controversies, scams, scandals, and full-on ghotala. From Khap Panchayat to honor killing to 3G scams and countless more. There can’t be an end to such atrocious things simply because no one wants to. ‘Let’s really hope to make this year a better one.’ Sounds too clichéd…right? Well, the line has to be said/written/heard by default. Same drill every year! However, bypass every awful moment, every rumor, every embarrassment, every dispute and live in the moment. That’s my New Year resolution; live today, worry tomorrow!